1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to digital cameras and, more particularly, to a digital camera which records, to a recording medium, in a compressed state of main and size-reduced image signals corresponding to respective images of a subject taken successively.
2. Description of the Prior Art
According to DCF (Design rule for Camera File system), there is a need of producing thumbnail image signals in addition to main image signals so that both the image signals are recorded in a compressed state to a recording medium. Consequently, in the conventional digital camera, the main image signal is first compressed and then the thumbnail image signal produced from the main image signal is compressed so that both compressed signals are recorded to a recording medium. Meanwhile, during successive picture taking, totally-twice compression processes of main and thumbnail image signals must be waited for taking the next picture. After completing the last-time picture taking, all the compressed signals are recorded to the recording medium.
However, during successive picture taking, the picture-taking interval increases if the next picture taking is commenced after twice of compression processes have been done. It would be possible to shorten the picture-taking interval by compressing both the main and thumbnail image signals after completing successive picture taking. This however results in increase in the capacity of an internal memory.